Five coffee stops in Downtown Brooklyn

The New York Coffee Guide

28 August 2018

With The Brooklyn Academy of Music in Fort Greene, the beautiful and historic Promenade along the water in Brooklyn Heights and all the fashionable shops and restaurants in Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, it’s easy to wander a day away in Downtown Brooklyn. These largely residential areas are filled with beautiful tree-lined streets and quiet parks, and are known for being home to many of
New York’s greatest artists, writers and musicians.
Featuring the Northern part of Brooklyn, Bushwick is fast becoming one of the most sought after neighborhoods. Spilling over from trendy Williamsburg, cafes, restaurants and boutiques are all finding new spots to feature their expanding retail offerings. With neighboring Bedford-Stuyvesant expanding from Bushwick this area now has a lot to be desired.

Here are five great coffee shop picks.

Abbotsford Road Coffee Specialists573 Sackett Street
You know when a company is teaching other cafés how to do coffee, it's going to be good. Abbotsford Road has been supplying specialty beans and coffee education for decades, and their first and only outpost acts as a showroom for their incredible product. Tucked away on a quiet street between two family-oriented areas, the Gowanus based space is becoming a beacon for great coffee in the community. Their ‘Crop to Cup’ philosophy extends their community focus to ethical sourcing by building direct relationships with their growers. Towards the back of the generously sized space hessian bags are piled high, filled with beans fresh from the open roastery at the back of the venue, emboldening the freshness of their whole process and filling the room with an all-encompassing aroma. Co-owner, Logan, is hands-on in the roasting process, so make sure to ask about the beans on offer and try one of their fragrant pour-overs. The cortado, too, is expertly pulled and the result is a beautifully balanced and sweet brew. Go for the education, return for the coffee.

Brooklyn Roasting Company Dumbo25 jay Street
Brooklyn’s flagship Navy Yard branch is a big, bustling operation that packs in customers of just about every age. Hipsters abound, but so do toddlers. This is one thing that makes the place so lively. Brooklyn Roasting Company offers a large and varied food menu and a good selection of non-caffeinated drinks such as fresh juices, and smoothies. But the coffee is the real star here, whether well-made milky drinks or daily brewed coffees (a changing selection) from excellent single-origin beans.

Devoción Downtown Brooklyn276 Livingston Street
Entering Devoción feels like walking into an exotic hotel lobby. Generous in size, warm with natural light and accented with mismatched woods and vibrant yellow tiles (on brand, of course), it feels like summer all year around. In the heart of the space is a native plant life centerpiece which leads you around to the bar to watch a display of unique drip brewing methods and lovingly made pour overs. Raw green beans arrive by FedEx straight from Colombia 10 days after being picked, and are roasted in-house, producing an incredibly fresh and vibrant flavor. Devocion’s commitment to quality shines through in all their brews, but opt for a smooth, milky espresso for some seriously impressive latte art. It's a perfect space to enjoy a freshly baked guava croissant, sip on exceptional coffee and be transported from New York straight to the fields of Colombia.

East One Coffee Roasters384 Court Street
Coffee connoisseurs will fall in love with East One Coffee Roasters (E1), a hip new venue in Carroll Gardens. Located on a lovely corner spot, this venue is striking in both the atmosphere and the quality of the roast. In addition to the spacious café up front, there is a large restaurant with a full-service menu—and trust me you do not want to skip it! The food is absolutely delicious, their beans are well roasted, and there is plenty of space to enjoy yourself with family and friends.

Extraction Lab by Alpha Dominche51 35th Street
Coffee connoisseurs looking for a truly unique experience, look no further than this hip showroom in the heart of Industry City. Extraction Lab is a showroom, first and foremost, featuring Alpha Dominche’s advanced coffee and tea brewing machines, the Steampunk and Sight. Best described as a cross between a siphon and a French press, the single-serving machine brews the perfect pour-over every time. They offer a tantalizing array of Nordic pastries, perfectly complementing the delicious brews. The minimalist space suits its Industry City setting perfectly, with wooden tables, potted plants and an open-air feel, to create a perfectly Zen atmosphere. Extraction Lab sources single-origin beans from over fifty world class roasters—and their offerings rotate weekly, so there is always something new to try!